Atlanta Hawks: 20 best players of all-time
Best Atlanta Hawks of all-time – Lou Hudson (1968-1977)
“Sweet” Lou Hudson was drafted by the St. Louis Hawks in 1966 with the 4th overall pick. When the team moved to Atlanta in 1968, Hudson came into his own as a player and started putting up really solid numbers.
In the 1968-1969 season, Lou Hudson averaged 21.9 points and 6.6 rebounds per game, starting a streak of six straight trips to the All-Star Game. He was named to the All-NBA Second Team in 1970 and continued to get better. In 1972-1973, Hudson put up 27.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game. He would even average at least 24 points per game in 5 straight seasons.
The Atlanta Hawks made the playoffs in five of Hudson’s 11 seasons with the team. They even made it to consecutive Western Division Finals where they faced the Jerry West/Wilt Chamberlain Los Angeles Lakers and lost both times. While in Atlanta, Hudson averaged 22.0 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game, making him one of the most lethal scorers in Atlanta Hawks history.